All Blacks v Springboks
Kick-off: 7:05pm Saturday 13 September
Sky Stadium, Wellington
Live blog updates on RNZ Sport
It's fair to say Jason Holland was feeling pretty happy after only a few minutes of Saturday night's 24-17 win over the Springboks at Eden Park. The All Blacks had already taken a 7-0 lead thanks to a perfectly executed strike play, thanks to a shift in the point of attack from a lineout and perfectly executed cross kick and finish.
But arguably better was yet to come.
Will Jordan's try in the 17th minute was another pre-planned move, with the forwards compressing the Springbok lineout to create a gap for the fullback to blast through and score under the posts. When asked about who deserved credit for the incisions, Scott Robertson said it was a joint effort between assistant coach Holland and resource coach Bryn Evans.
"They put a little bit of work in to see if we can find a little seam, a little opportunity. And then you've got to execute it, that's the exciting part. Two moments with deadly execution, you practice them and then you put them into play," he said.
Holland, whose official title is Strike Play Coach, said that the All Blacks "had definitely taken a few steps forward" since the loss to Argentina. But just what is a strike play and when can we expect to see them?
Jason Holland. Photo: John Cowpland / action press
"Our strikes are around our lineout and scrum, probably the best opportunities are around our scrum. We're trying to score a first phase try," explained Holland.
"It gives you momentum and attack. If you don't score you're in behind teams, so we put a bit of emphasis on the first three phases. Really having strike for three phases and not setting up rucks for three phases to set up our game. That's what we're striving for."
One of the more telling aspects of Jordan's try, which was reliant on some lineout deception cooked up by Evans, a pinpoint throw by Codie Taylor and perfect inside ball by Wallace Sititi, is that it was a weakness IDed in the Springbok defensive set up. Jordan found himself gunning past two front rowers coming across in cover, a mismatch he was always going to win.
Holland wasn't keen to go into too much detail about how long ago they'd figured that out and had that plan in the pocket, but said that the analysis they do on each opponent is thorough.
Emoni Narawa sets off to score against the Springboks. Photo: John Cowpland / action press
"Each team's got it's own way it defends. The differences and margins are really small, so there's some clear pictures you see around who is defending off the tail of a lineout, those sorts of things…it's all around the little details. Sometimes it works and sometimes defenders are smart enough to do two things at once."
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus acknowledged that the ability to exploit weakness was a ruthless trait the All Blacks possess.
"Those one or two moments, where they get 14 points. We've experienced that so many times when we're here (in New Zealand), but they always catch us with something different," he said on Monday.
Holland said that much like the much-maligned yet ultimately effective box kick tactic, it was all about playing what was in front of you.
"If it means we have to be direct to narrow the defence up to get the space for Quinn (Tupaea)'s try, then that's how it is. Everything we're doing, we have a 'see, say, do' mindset. We need to see a picture and we've got to understand how we're going to hurt the opposition."
